Top 5 Video Game Heroines

Gaming, for most people, is a man’s world. Because of this, female characters often take the back seat in video games. However, there are still plenty of strong female characters worth shining a light on. Here are five of the best heroines in gaming history.

1. Lara Croft

Tomb Raider:Legend probably has the most famous female character of all time. Created in 1993, Lara Croft is an archaeologist on the hunt for gold, treasures and glory. Since its original release on PC, the game has been massively developed and has gone on to become a major franchise. Famous for her two guns, Lara Croft has been one of the most popular female characters to ever grace the gaming screen. The character has been so popular, that two films were adapted from the series with actress Angelina Jolie taking the coveted role.

2. Cortana

No list of heroines would be complete without Cortana, who played a huge role in the Halo franchise as the AI to Master Chief. Cortana guided Master Chief everywhere as his genius sidekick. She played a massive role in the Human-Covenant War and was only second to Master Chief in terms of popularity. She was inspired by the female clones in Blade Runner, Pris and Zhora.

3. Jill Valentine

Jill is Resident Evil's favorite female badass and one of the most popular characters in the Resident Evil franchise. Coming from French and Japanese ancestry, Jill is an American special operations agent employed by the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance as one of the co-founding original 11 members. Never backing down from a fight, she is one of the most popular female characters in the horror genre.

4. Commander Shepard

One of the more interesting but often over-looked characters on this list is Commander Shepard. The female Commander Shepard, to be specific, is just as enjoyable as the male version, although arguably FemShep is the only correct Shep as her model was used to test animations. Mass Effect designers deserve huge amounts of credit for developing a brilliant sharpshooter and fan favorite.

5. Elena Fisher

A brilliant character in terms of personality, Elena Fisher is witty, intelligent, amusing and brave. To top it off, she can effectively do anything the main character Nathan Drake can do, if not better! Fisher, brilliantly portrayed in Uncharted, hold her own among male characters in the game. The chemistry between Elena and Nathan also helps the game keep a comfortable flow.

More and more, female characters are getting bigger roles within the gaming world. Based on popularity and the role of the character, these heroines are some of the greatest in history. Tell us who your favorite video game heroines are down below!